iPhone XS Max Battery Replacement

Power off and remove the bottom screws

Back up and power the phone off. Remove the two P2 pentalobe screws on either side of the Lightning port. If the screen is cracked, cover it with packing tape first so glass doesn’t flake and the suction cup can grip.

Soften the adhesive

Warm the edges of the screen evenly for 2–3 minutes. The glass should feel hot but still comfortable to hold.

Cut the adhesive around the sides and top

Put the suction cup near the bottom edge and lift just enough for a hairline gap. Slide a pick in and cut along both long sides. Keep the pick shallow, a few millimeters at most, so you don’t catch the display cables or the front sensors.

The top edge is held by plastic clips, so don’t pry it. Slide the display a millimeter or two toward the bottom of the phone to release the clips, then cut across the top. Don’t lift the bottom edge more than about 5°.

Open the display like a book

The display stays attached by short cables along one long edge, and that edge acts as the hinge. Lift the free edge, open it to about 90° and lean it on something sturdy so the cables aren’t holding its weight.

Disconnect the battery, then the display

Remove the screws from the bracket over the battery connector and lift it off, then remove the screws from the bracket over the display connectors. Most of these are Y000 tri-point screws; keep them in order.

Unplug the battery cable first, then the display and touch cables, then the earpiece and front sensor cable.

Set the display aside

Lift the display away and lay it face down on a clean, soft surface.

Clear the bottom of the battery

Look at the bottom edge of the battery where the adhesive tabs are. If the Taptic Engine sits over them on your phone, remove its screws, unplug it and lift it out. Leave the logic board alone.

Pull the adhesive strips

Peel the first tab off the battery with blunt tweezers without scraping the cell, wrap it around the tweezers and lift until white adhesive shows.

Keep the tweezers low and nearly parallel to the battery and pull slowly toward the top of the phone, twisting as you go, until the whole strip slides out. Repeat for each strip. Pulling fast or at a steep angle is what snaps them.

If a strip snaps

Grab a visible broken end and keep twisting. If it’s out of reach, drip a little isopropyl alcohol under that side of the battery, wait a minute, then lift slowly with a plastic card. Never use metal, never bend the battery, and stop if it starts to swell, smoke or smell.

Lift the battery out

Lift the battery from the frame and put it straight into a metal can of sand.

Clean the battery bay

Wipe away any leftover adhesive with isopropyl alcohol and check the bay for loose screws, which can puncture the new cell.

Seat the new battery

Stick the new adhesive strips on the battery (or peel the liner if they’re pre-applied), line the battery up and press it down firmly across the whole cell. Leave the pull tabs free so the next person can get it out.

Rebuild and close

Reinstall anything you moved. Reconnect the display cables, then the battery last, and refit the brackets. Lay fresh display adhesive, close and clamp the screen, and reinstall the bottom screws.

Test and finish

Charge for a few minutes before powering on. On many of these models iOS shows an “Important Battery Message” or “Unknown Part” for any battery not fitted by Apple, and Battery Health may not show a percentage. The battery still works normally.